


Aaaaaaa-choo!

by merthurmagic025



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Fluff, M/M, Modern Era, Sick Character, Sick Merlin (Merlin), Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:07:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merthurmagic025/pseuds/merthurmagic025
Summary: Arthur was sitting in his office, trying to get some work done. He spun around in his swivel chair, pajama pants swishing against the surface. He hadn't bothered to get dressed, as it was Saturday, and he couldn't really do anything, because..."Aaaaaa-choo!"Well, because of that.Merlin had come home from work on Thursday with a bit of a cough, but nothing serious. One hour later, he was a snotty mess sinking into the couch. It's been three days, and nothing has changed. Well, maybe he's sunk a bit further into the couch.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 86





	Aaaaaaa-choo!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is another re-write of a fic I originally wrote in 2014 and published on ff.net. Once again, I've made some general improvements to the writing! I kept the original date mentioned at the end as a bit of an homage to the original!
> 
> Also, this might come off as a bit insensitive given the current situation with the coronavirus. Please remember that this was originally written years ago and by no means am I trying to understate how serious being sick can be!

* * *

It was a cold evening in November. Arthur was sitting in his office, _trying_ to get some work done. He spun around in his swivel chair, pajama pants swishing against the surface. He hadn't bothered to get dressed, as it was Saturday, and he couldn't really do anything, because...

"Aaaaaa-choo!"

Well, because of that. Merlin was lying on the couch downstairs in a pool of his own snotty tissues, and Arthur had to take care of him. It had been three days- _three days_ of this hell. No progress had been made on the business report Arthur was supposed to have finished by Monday, and it didn't look like things were getting better. Merlin had come home from work on Thursday with a bit of a cough, but nothing serious. One hour later, he was a snotty mess sinking into the couch. It's been three days, and nothing has changed. Well, maybe he's sunk a bit further into the couch.

 _He's become one with the couch,_ Arthur thought. _He's cuddling with those blankets instead of me... Wait. No. Stop. I_ refuse _to be jealous of some bloody blankets!_ With that, Arthur stormed downstairs, ready to force Merlin back into health. He stomped down the stairs, fists clenched, but froze when he reached the bottom.

Merlin was asleep on the couch. He had his hands pulled up to his neck, holding the blanket up. His mouth was hanging open, and drool was pooling on the pillow. Arthur knew that he should probably find this disgusting, but he couldn't help the smile that creeped onto his face. He took a few slow, tentative steps towards the couch until he was crouching right in front of it.

"Merlin..." Arthur whispered quietly into his boyfriend's ear. "Are you awake?"

"Hmm... Mm-mm... Ugh..."

Arthur laughed softly and ran the back of his hand down Merlin's cheek. "Merlin... It's time to eat."

That was enough for Merlin to open his eyes. "Food?" he asked, blinking slowly.

"What would you like? Oatmeal? Soup?" Arthur suggested.

Merlin nodded slightly and muttered, "Chicken noodle."

Arthur smiled and nodded as Merlin settled back into a sleeping position. Arthur rose to his feet and walked into the kitchen. As he made the soup, he glanced back at Merlin every minute or two to check on him. While he wasn't too great at showing it, Arthur had been pretty worried about Merlin these past three days. His fever came and went, and it never got too bad, but Arthur was just worried. _I have the right to be worried, don't I?_ Arthur thought while stirring the soup on the stove. _It's been three days, and he's showing no signs of improvement! Besides, I'm not getting any work done, and it's his fault!_ As soon as he thought that, Arthur felt like slapping himself. _Of course it's not his fault! He's just a poor, sick, little puppy..._ Arthur giggled - actually _giggled_ \- at himself for even thinking that. If he'd said that to Merlin's face, he'd probably sneeze on command straight into Arthur's face!

The soup was ready, so Arthur put it into a bowl and stirred it to help it cool down. He walked back over to the couch where Merlin resided, trying not to burn his hand on the bottom of the bowl in the process.

"Here you go! Fresh chicken noodle soup!" Arthur tried to hand the bowl to Merlin, but he shook his head.

"Feed me?" Merlin asked. Arthur rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning upwards. He obliged, scooping up a spoonful of soup with the spoon.

"Sit up, Merlin. It's not safe to eat lying down," Arthur advised.

Merlin slowly made his way to a sitting position, coughing multiple times in the process. He smiled weakly at Arthur and hoarsely said, "Thank you."

Arthur only nodded and brought the spoon closer to Merlin's mouth. He moved closer to slurp it up, then leaned back and smiled as the warmth slid down his throat. Arthur smiled fondly at his boyfriend before eating a spoonful of the soup himself.

Merlin laughed, shouting, "Hey! That's my soup! That's _my_ soup!"

Arthur replied, "Oh really? Who made it?" with a playful tone. Merlin only shook his head and ate another spoonful. This process continued until the bowl was empty, and Arthur was getting tired. He glanced at the clock, and it read 9:42 pm.

"Merlin?" Arthur tried to get his boyfriend's attention.

"What?" Merlin replied, with a scrunched up face. He stretched and yawned.

Arthur chuckled and said, "It's time for bed."

"Carry me?" Merlin asked. Arthur was dumbfounded. _Of all the ridiculous requests..._ he thought. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't refuse Merlin.

"Okay," Arthur obliged, and scooped Merlin up, blanket and all. He had one arm behind Merlin's neck and the other under his knees. It couldn't have been comfortable, but Merlin seemed just as comfortable as he'd been on the couch. Arthur, on the other hand, was struggling to get up the stairs! After all, he couldn't see past the sheer number of blankets that Merlin had wrapped around him.

He made it to the top of the stairs eventually, and plopped Merlin down on the bed. The man in the bundle of blankets only let out a small groan before settling into the bed. Arthur chuckled and got in beside him.

The hours passed by as they slept, but Arthur awoke prematurely.

"Aaa-choo!" Arthur's face went blank as he realized that he'd just sneezed. He groaned and dropped back down onto the bed, knowing that he was now sick, too. 

By the time he woke up, he’d almost forgotten the sneeze. That is, until he almost coughed up a lung. It was 8:00 am, and the coughing woke Merlin up as well. He shot up, looking confused, but then his gaze settled on Arthur's devastated face and he couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled up his throat. He was clearly feeling better, then. Arthur could only glare at him for so long before he gave in and started laughing along with him.

The two of them went downstairs, unable to stop laughing, and settled on the couch. Merlin was facing one way, and Arthur was facing the other, their feet overlapping. Arthur found the TV remote and a few boxes of tissues, which is all they'd need that day.

Merlin blew his nose while Arthur put a movie on. Arthur was too busy staring at the TV screen to notice Merlin stockpiling used tissues. That is, until he felt one his his face. He rotated his head slowly, then raised his eyebrows when his gaze settled on Merlin. The other man only laughed and threw another tissue. Arthur blinked, then started laughing as well. He grabbed a tissue, blew his nose, and threw it at Merlin. Thus, the war had begun. If you passed the apartment of Arthur Pendragon and Merlin Emrys on November 16th, 2014, you'd hear muffled laughing under the constant stream of coughs and sneezes.

* * *


End file.
